Chapter 23
A desolate atmosphere hung over the desert.
The Girl and the Demon God stood at the entrance leading into the desert.
"Is this... the location of the Demon King's Castle where the Former Demon King was sealed?"
The power of the Demon King is passed down from one Demon King to the next.
For the Girl to become the Demon King, she needed to find the sealed remains of the Former Demon King.
"Indeed. When the Demon King was defeated and sealed by the Hero's party during the First Demon War, the castle and surrounding territory were razed to the ground. It was the aftermath of the mutual destruction between the Hero and Demon King."
The Hero's party's suicide mission to annihilate the demon leadership collapsed and destroyed the demon nation.
This was also why the demons, despite having far superior physical capabilities compared to humans, were unable to mount an organized resistance.
"...The First Demon War?"
The Girl tilted her head at the Demon God's words.
"Wasn't there only one Demon War?"
"..."
Oh no. A slip of the tongue.
The Second Demon War was the war that her master started.
The war where she used her divine power to destroy half the continent, and all the people of the continent, including the demons, united to oppose her.
It was called the Demon War because she, who started the war, was a demon.
However, since it hadn't happened yet at this point in time, there was no distinction between First and Second.
"Hehe."
As the Demon God hesitated choosing her words, the Girl gave a small laugh.
"You don't need to worry about it."
She seemed to like what the Demon God had mentioned for some reason.
"I know. That you're a god who can see the future, Lady Demon God."
"..."
The Demon God remained silent.
This reality was, strictly speaking, the past.
The Demon God knew what would happen in the future.
The Girl would become the Demon King and become her master who turned the entire continent against her.
She would be executed as a mass murderer and villain who would go down in continental history.
With the Girl's death, the demons and other continental peoples would unite and coexist.
The Chain of Hatred would be broken and peace would arrive, but there would be no place for the Girl anywhere in it.
"The fact that there will be a Second Demon War probably means I successfully become the Demon King and make things happen, right?"
The Girl smiled.
"That's enough for me."
The Demon God felt her heart sink.
Back then, she thought her master had gone mad from carrying too heavy a burden.
That's why she thought her master tried to forcibly break the Chain of Hatred by attempting to kill all races except demons.
But what if all of that was an act?
What if from the start, she intended to become evil, to become a common enemy and die?
You.
Could it be...
"...After becoming the Demon King..."
"Shh. Let's save that conversation for after I become the Demon King. I feel like talking about the future might shake my resolve for this pilgrimage."
The Girl put her index finger to her lips.
The Demon God couldn't bring up that topic to her.
The Girl and Demon God set out into the harsh desert.
Though it had become a wasteland uninhabitable for living things due to the aftermath of the Demon King and Hero's battle during the Demon War, the fully grown Girl pressed forward, overcoming the extreme environment.
'A master with this background suddenly becoming a mass murderer. I thought it was strange before.'
The Demon God fell into thought as she journeyed with the Girl.
As the [Pride] that had been consuming her faded, she began to see the past she hadn't been able to see.
'Master took in the original girl who had lost everything and raised her as her successor. Teaching her everything except 'succession' so the original girl could become a ruler to lead the demons.'
Ruler?
...!
Not just any ruler.
She taught how to pursue harmony beyond the broken Chain of Hatred when the war ended and the Era of Peace arrived.
Master predicted the peace that would come after her death.
'...No. It wasn't a prediction. She caused it.'
As the [Pride] clouding her thoughts lifted, the Demon God could face the truth.
The reason her master incited the massacre.
The reason harmony was achieved surprisingly easily after the Demon War ended.
...The reason she, who lacked qualifications, could become the greatest Sage King in history.
It was all due to her master's arrangements.
The Demon God's hands trembled.
If things continue like this, the history of reality would be recreated.
That was the original goal and also the procedure to resurrect master.
But... why did she not want to watch it happen?
Even though this world wasn't reality.
Even though the master of this world had to die to resurrect the master of reality.
As the Demon God's worries deepened, the Girl drew closer to their destination.
A massive pyramid-shaped structure in the middle of the desert.
The remains of the Demon King's Castle that had sunk below ground level after its destruction.
Only the upper portion of the ruins protruded above ground.
Rumble-
When the Girl placed her hand on one wall of the pyramid, the wall responded to her Demonic Energy and moved to open a door.
Though the castle's security system was supposed to only respond to registered individuals, the Girl's Demonic Power Operation ability surpassed that of the Former Demon King.
The Girl and Demon God continued walking into the Demon King's Castle.
Golems and various defense systems activated to attack the Girl as they were prepared for the castle's defense, but the Girl easily neutralized everything and pressed forward.
There was absolutely nothing that could stop the Girl.
Thud-
The Girl finally reached her destination as she advanced toward the dark depths of the Demon King's Castle.
"...Demon King."
To the Former Demon King's corpse sealed in [Eternal Frost] along with the Hero.
"Lady Demon God."
The Girl turned to look at the Demon God.
"You can do it. I believe in you."
The Demon God wanted to stop her.
She had a feeling that once she became the Demon King, there would be no turning back.
But having spent long years together, she couldn't stop her.
The Girl took a deep breath.
Then she placed her hand on the large ice.
Hum- Hum- Hum- Hum- Hum-
The moment the ice and Girl made contact, the Demon King inside the ice and the Girl began to resonate.
The Demon King's power waiting to be inherited had found a suitable successor.
"Ugh."
The mark of [Super Succession] began to be engraved in the Girl's mind.
An unimaginable pain beyond anything she had felt before washed over the Girl.
"Aaaaagh!"
The Girl's screams grew louder as more divine power flowed into her.
The Demon God watched the succession take place while biting her lip.
The long lives of those who had inherited the Demon King's power took root in the Girl's mind.
Memories large enough to swallow her short life filled it.
"I won't... forget...!"
But the Girl held tight to those short memories.
The precious memories with the Demon God that must never be forgotten.
And the mission that would become her reason for existence.
No matter how many Demon Kings entered her, she must not forget.
[O new Demon King]
[O ruler above all demons]
[O absolute monarch who shall wield all demonic power]
[Speak the divine power you shall create]
The karma of the Demon King echoed within the Girl.
The Girl clutched her head as she endured the pain that felt like it would tear her mind apart.
"The divine power I will create... the world I will rule...!"
The divine powers of the Demon Kings until now would not be enough to fulfill her mission.
To break the Chain of Hatred, she needed overwhelming power.
A devastating power of death that would cover the endless karma of death.
"Lord of Death! I shall become the king of all demons and the king who rules over death!"
The karma of historical Demon Kings swirled in the Girl's mental world.
All that karma aligned under the Girl's will.
"The absolute power that will threaten the continent! The primordial power that brings creation through death! Come to me! Lord of the Underworld!"
The primordial magma sea that creates and destroys all things.
The Lord of the Underworld, referring to the age of primordial creation, came upon her.
The [Super Succession] ended safely.
The Girl accepted the Demon King's power and evolved into a new Demon King.
The Demon God watched the entire process clearly.
She watched as the Girl obtained the power of the [Lord of the Underworld] exactly as she had in reality.
And in the process, she saw the will engraved in her mental world.
Her firm resolve to sacrifice herself to break the Chain of Hatred and bring peace to the continent.
The Demon God approached the Girl.
At last her resolve had hardened.
She would no longer waver.
This world was no longer false.
As long as the original girl accepted the Girl, the Girl too was real.
Therefore she could not allow the Girl's sacrifice.
She could not accept a world created in such a way.
Without even knowing what burden master shouldered and sacrificed.
Without even knowing how the Era of Peace came about.
She could not accept her sacrificing herself for those who pointed fingers at her without even trying to know the lives of those who created that era.
She would stop it.
Even if it meant this world would diverge from the history of reality.
She could not stand by and watch the Girl sacrifice herself exactly as she had in reality.
"...Hm? Lady Demon God! I did it! I became the Demon King!"
The brightly smiling Girl.
A giant dwelled within her that made it impossible to call her a girl anymore.
The Demon God saw her previous life's master overlapping with her.
'I'm sorry, master.'
With this, the master of reality could not be resurrected.
But now that [Pride] had been lifted, she could understand.
The fact that master would not want such a resurrection.
Therefore I... no, the original girl...!
Will not let this master meet an unhappy death!
Just as the Demon God reached out her hand to the Girl.
Ding
[Final Help]
-With your help, the Girl has succeeded in becoming the Demon King. Now comes the moment of final decision. Fast forward to when the Girl's plan reaches its final stage. Help her make the decisive choice in her final moment.
The environment around the Demon God began to flow rapidly.
The world began to accelerate while excluding the Demon God.
Everything passes by.
Quickly, until the time when the Girl makes her choice as a mass murderer in her final moment.
"...No."
The Demon God realized what was happening.
She could no longer intervene now.
"Nooooo!"
The decisive choice, the Girl's sacrifice.
Except for the final moment's decision.
*
"Lady Demon God...?"
The Girl searched for her most reliable helper, teacher and mother in the empty ruins of the Demon King's Castle.
As long as she was with her, she could do anything.
With her there, nothing that would happen scared her at all.
...
But there was no response from the Demon God.
Only the Girl's voice echoed and grew smaller.
"Where did you go, Lady Demon God..."
The Girl's body curled up.
*
I temporarily heard the Demon God's scream as she was separated from the story world heading toward the final chapter.
Everything according to plan.
Now the Demon God would have to make the decisive choice.
Whether to use her divine power at full strength to break free of her restraints and destroy this world.
Or remain trapped in this world forever to maintain a false world.
And having watched her, I thought I knew what choice she would make.